Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank
Professor Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank was a substitute Care of Magical Creatures teacher. She was a witch with close-cropped grey hair and a very prominent chin. She was first met by Harry Potter's batch in 1994, taking over lessons when Professor Rubeus Hagrid was unable to teach. She taught the class again in part of the next school year when Hagrid was away on a mission for Albus Dumbledore. Harry trusted her enough to ask her to heal his owl Hedwig when she was injured in 1995. She was brusque in her replies to inquiries regarding Hagrid's whereabouts. Biography Early life Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank was born in or before 1930. She presumably sat for O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s in her youth, in order to have her current job, and likely achieved a high grade in Care of Magical Creatures. Hogwarts substitute teacher 1994-1995 Professor Grubbly-Plank took over Rubeus Hagrid's lessons during January 1995, because Hagrid was indisposed after the defamatory article about him written by Rita Skeeter. She taught the students about Unicorns. When Hagrid resumed teaching in early February, Grubbly-Plank was no longer required and she left the school. All the students present in her Care of Magical Creature lessons found her to be a good teacher. 1995-1996 As Hagrid was absent in the beginning of the next school year, Grubbly-Plank was temporarily put in charge of Care of Magical Creatures again. She led the first years across the Lake on the enchanted boats, which was usually Hagrid's responsibility. When Hedwig was hurt when returning from London on 7 October 1995, Harry asked Grubbly-Plank to heal her, which she did without much difficulty. Grubbly-Plank passed Dolores Umbridge's (then-High Inquisitor of Hogwarts) inspection without incident while she taught her students about Bowtruckles and gave out a homework assignments, to sketch and label a drawing of one. After Hagrid's return on 7 November, Grubbly-Plank was relieved of her duties again. When Hagrid planned to leave Hogwarts at the end of this school year, he implied that Grubbly-Plank would take on the class full-time. When he ran away from Umbridge and the Aurors, it is unknown whether she returned to teach Care of Magical Creatures for the remainder of that school year, though following the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Dumbledore did order Cornelius Fudge to have his Aurors call off the search for Hagrid so that he could return to work, indicating that he resumed the position following that event. Physical appearance Professor Grubbly-Plank was described as an elderly witch with short grey hair and a pointed chin. She smoked a pipe. Personality and traits Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank is a very competent teacher, passing even Dolores Umbridge's inspection without incident (though Umbridge was disappointed by her expressing approval of Dumbledore). She seems always level-headed, cheerful and efficient, and claims to be very happy with the way Dumbledore runs the school. Many of the students (Gryffindors included) feel Professor Grubbly-Plank is a somewhat better teacher than Hagrid. Harry, Ron, and Hermione do not admit this, however, simply because of their close friendship with Hagrid. In 1996, when Hagrid states that he wondered whether they would have continued with Care of Magical Creatures had she still been teaching, the three of them convincingly lie that she was a dreadful teacher. Professor Grubbly-Plank also seems to have a bit of respect for Hagrid as she is never seen criticising his teaching skills and complimented his training of the school Thestrals. She is also known to smoke a pipe. Magical abilities and skills *'Care of Magical Creatures': Professor Grubbly-Plank was knowledgable in Care of Magical Creatures. She was appointed replacement Professor at Hogwarts at least twice and passed Dolores Umbridge's Ministry of Magic inspection. *'Healing magic': She was skilled enough to heal Harry Potter's owl Hedwig when she was injured. It's unknown if this was magical or non-magical Healing or a combination.